Pope John XXIII a great choice for sainthood, Pope John Paul II less so

Strange business this canonization of saints. You need to prove miracles, which is ultimately about a suspension of disbelief.

Does anyone really believe that illnesses disappear if you pray to some one person? If such were the case there would be prayer mass meetings everywhere. Do very sick people sometimes get well? Yes but it remains a mystery why.

Good for him, John XXIII was a rare light in the sky, a man who transformed his religion and millions of Catholics for the better.

He demystified the church, focused on what was important and went to his grave as a beloved holy man of the people.

John Paul II I’m not so sure about. He was a great man in so many ways, but a deeply political man. He deserved the Nobel Peace Prize more than sainthood for leading Poland against the Soviet Union and playing a massive role in ending communism.

Then there was the pedophile scandal, set to explode, which was hushed up during his time and came to light soon after.

How much did he know? We will never know, but he had to have learned about it. He kept quiet, a huge black mark.

Of the two, I’d rather have people praying to John to cure me.

John Paul was a world figure and vital presence for many decades but there were huge scandals concealed.

Funny business being named a saint. No one really on this earth is flawless, popes are no exception.

What good men do is left after them, John 23rd's legacy is soaring, John Paul’s less so.

Francis did the right thing with John 23rd but we didn’t need proof of miracles to see it.